The University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team fell by a score of 7-4 to Michigan State University Saturday night at Munn Ice Arena on the campus of Michigan State. Junior Tyler Kelleher (Longmeadow, Mass.) and sophomore Andrew Poturalski (Williamsville, N.Y.) each had a goal and an assist in the game.

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The loss drops the Wildcats to 3-4-1 on the year while the win improves the Spartans to 4-3-1 overall. Also scoring goals for the ‘Cats was freshman Chris Miller (Windham, N.H.) and senior Dan Correale (Prince George, British Columbia).

The Spartans took a 1-0 lead 32 seconds into the first period on a goal by Joe Cox. The play started with Thomas Ebbing playing the puck from the MSU zone to JT Stenglein in the neutral zone. Stenglein found Cox along the boards in UNH territory and sent a pass to him. Cox fired a shot that found its way into the back of the net.

Michigan State increased its lead to 2-0 at 9:20 of the first period on a rebound goal by Mason Appleton. Michael Ferrantino sent a pass to Travis Walsh who in turn fired a shot on net. Wildcat netminder Danny Tirone (Trumbull, Conn.) made the initial save, but Appleton crashed the net and punched the rebound into the net.

Miller brought the Wildcats to within one at the 13:05 mark with his second goal of the season. He started the play as he won a faceoff back to sophomore blueliner Cameron Marks (North Vancouver, British Columbia) at the point. Marks sent the puck in on net that deflected off rookie Ara Nazarian (Boxford, Mass.) and on net. Hildebrand made the initial save, but Miller buried the rebound for the goal.

At the end of the first period, the Wildcats trailed by a score of 2-1. Michigan State held a 11-9 advantage in shots while the Wildcats held a 13-10 advantage in faceoffs won.

Kelleher brought the game to a 2-2 draw at the 2:36 mark of the second period with a power play goal. Sophomore Andrew Poturalski (Williamsville, N.Y.) played the puck down to Kelleher along the redline. Kelleher sent a pass to Nazarian that deflected off his skate and over to Matt Dawson (Delta, British Columbia) in the slot. Dawson found Kelleher along the redline still who then fired a shot into the MSU net.

With 8:27 left in the second period, Poturalski nearly gave the Wildcats a 3-2 lead as he came down the right side and fired as shot on net. Hildebrand made a save, but Poturalski garnered the rebound and tried to jam it into the net. Hildebrand sprawled out and made the save on the second attempt.

The Spartans took a 3-2 lead with a power play goal at the 14:59 mark of the second period. Mackenzie MacEachern played a pass down to Michael Ferrantino along the redline to Tirone’s left. Ferrantino played a backhanded pass to Villiam Haag who then put the puck away.

With two periods in the books, the Spartans held a 3-2 lead. Tirone tied his career-high for saves in a period as he made 20.

Michigan State took a 4-2 lead at 3:53 of the third period on a goal by Stenglein. Zach Osburn played the puck to Cox along the redline. He sent a pass into the crease that took an awkward bounce and Stenglein was able to capitalize.

Correale cut the UNH deficit to one at the 9:17 mark of the third period with his sixth goal of the season. The goal came while UNH was on a power play and started with Poturalski along the boards playing a pass to Kelleher behind the MSU net. Kelleher found Correale in the slot who ripped a one-timer that went of the post and in.

Just moments later, MSU’s Ryan Keller came into the UNH zone and skated across the face of the net and played a backhanded shot on net, but Tirone made the pad save at full extension to thwart the play.

Poturalski tied the game at four apiece with eight minutes left in the third period with his sixth goal of the season and second point of the night. A Michigan State defenseman attempted to clear the puck out of Spartan territory, but Poturalski blocked the clearing attempt and skated towards the MSU net. He went across the face of the net and jammed the puck past Hildebrand into the net.

The Spartans regained the lead with 6:56 left in the third period on a goal by Brennan Sanford. Travis Walsh assisted Sanford on the play. They gained a two goal lead with 2:33 left in the third period on a goal by Keller. The Spartans would finalize the score at 7-4 with an empty net goal by MacEachern with three seconds left in the third period.

Tirone made 36 saves in the game, including 20 in the second period. His record falls to 1-4-1. Hildebrand made 20 saves on 24 shots faced as his record improves to 4-3-1. The Wildcats were 2-for-4 on power play opportunities while the Spartans were held 1-for-3.

The Wildcats are back in action Saturday, Nov. 14 night as they conclude the regular season series with Merrimack College on the road. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.